The present invention relates to telepresence systems and computer networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for communicating live views of a remote physical location over a computer network.
Exchanging picture images is an important and effective method of communicating experiences and information. People exchange photographs and postcards to share images and experiences of remote physical locations and events. Accordingly, a variety of technologies have made the communication of images possible. For example, traditional postcards provide a high-quality image and a space to include a small message and a recipient address. U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,780 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,325 disclose methods for converting personal photographs into postcards. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,740 discloses a kiosk equipped with a digital camera that takes a picture of those inside the kiosk and generates a postcard of the picture overlaid on a scenic background.
In the on-line world, electronic postcards have become a popular way to share one""s on-line browsing experience with another. U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,771 discloses a structured tour of hypertext files in which a user may e-mail an electronic postcard containing a hypertext page or a link thereto to another user connected to the network. For example, certain on-line store web sites allow users to transmit a link to a catalog entry to friends or colleagues via e-mail. In addition, multimedia elements, including music and animation, can also be sent as electronic postcards. U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,276 discloses a system that provides a simulated video tour of a physical location through a low-bandwidth connection to a computer network.
Telepresence systems have also emerged as a powerful tool for acquiring images of remote physical locations. xe2x80x9cTelepresencexe2x80x9d refers to techniques and systems for acquiring, processing and delivering live, interactively-controlled, digital video and/or still images of a remote physical location over a computer network. Typically, visual telepresence systems involve the use of computer-controlled camera systems which are controlled remotely by users across a computer network. Users aim the camera by adjusting the pan, tilt and zoom to select regions of interest in a remote physical location via a user interface. Many conventional telepresence systems allow multiple users to share control of a live video source. Typically, telepresence gives every user the feeling of independent control of the image acquisition system, even though other users are concurrently using the system. Telepresence systems can be found, for example, at various scenic locations, manufacturing plants, construction sites, retail stores, and media events.
The sharing of images generated by such telepresence systems can be an effective tool for collaboration. For example, a construction contractor may want to share a live image of a construction site with management as a means of reporting on the status of a project. Prior art telepresence systems, however, do not allow users a convenient and efficient way to collaborate by sharing live views of remote physical locations. Accordingly, a need exists for methods and systems for communicating live views of remote physical locations over a computer network. The present invention substantially fulfills this need.
The present invention provides methods and systems for preserving and communicating live views of a remote physical location over a computer network. The present invention integrates so-called xe2x80x9ctelepresencexe2x80x9d systems with a novel user interface that allows the user to visually navigate a remote physical location, select live views of the remote physical location, and preserve the live views. According to the invention, preserved live views can be saved for later use or communicated to others. In one embodiment, the live views preserved by the present invention provide an automatic connection to the live image source.
The present invention provides an easy-to-use mechanism that allows users to share views of a remote physical location. In one embodiment, users navigate a remote physical location by viewing images captured by cameras in the remote location and remotely controlling the cameras by means of a user interface to capture more images of other selected regions within the space. The user interface allows the user to preserve views of the remote physical location as the user navigates. A user can then opt for the user interface to construct a transmittable page containing the live view, referred to here as a xe2x80x9cview card.xe2x80x9d In one embodiment, the electronically transmittable view card comprises a user interface with the preserved live view, a message from the sender, and communication information such as email addresses. The present invention also provides the recipient of the view with a fluid connection to the live image source such that the recipient can activate the connection to the original image source and independently explore the remote physical location in more detail. Therefore, in effect, the present invention allows a user of a computer network to view and navigate a location, live, anywhere in the world, and send a kind of electronic postcard (a view card) of what he sees to another user. Moreover, the present invention allows the view card recipient to seamlessly connect to the live remote source and visually navigate the space himself.
For example, a user views a page-based user interface that shows him a live view of a remote physical location. From this xe2x80x9clive view selection pagexe2x80x9d the user can control a camera at the remote location simply by clicking on the presented image or by using other controls on the page. In this manner, the user visually navigates the remote space (panning, zooming, etc.) and selects various live views. The live view selection page allows the user to preserve any live view. To communicate a preserved view to another user, the user clicks the xe2x80x9cCreate View Cardxe2x80x9d button. A view card construction page appears and the user enters the recipient""s email address and a message about the preserved view. To communicate the view card to the designated recipient, the user clicks xe2x80x9cSend View Card.xe2x80x9d The recipient, when viewing the page-based view card, sees the preserved live view, the message from the other user, and the communication information. By clicking on the image in the view card, the recipient can activate the preserved view such that the view card page is replaced by a live view selection page showing the current, live image captured by the camera at the remote location. Now the recipient can visually navigate the remote location in exactly the same way as the sender of the view card. By means of the present invention""s easy-to-use page-based interfaces, users can share live views and collaborate with respect to real-time events at a remote location.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for preserving live views of a remote physical location over a computer network comprising a user interface and an image acquisition system, both coupled to the computer network. The image acquisition system transmits an image of the remote physical location over the computer network to the user interface. The user interface displays images received over the computer network and facilitates the generation of an image parameter set. According to one embodiment of the invention, the image parameter set defines a selected region in the remote physical location. In one embodiment, the user interface allows the user to generate a link, wherein the link is operable to transmit control signals to the image acquisition system. In one embodiment, the link designates a selected region in the remote physical location.
The present invention also provides methods for preserving live views of a remote physical location. In one aspect, the method of the present invention contemplates a computer network including at least one client computer and at least one server coupled to an image acquisition system located in a remote physical location. The method comprises (a) receiving, at a server, a request for an image of a selected region in the remote physical location; (b) transmitting the image in response to the request; (c) receiving a request to preserve a view; and (d) generating an image parameter set. According to the invention, the image parameter set defines the selected region in the remote physical location. According to one embodiment of the invention, the image parameter set defines the selected region in relation to the positional parameters of the image acquisition system. In certain embodiments, the parameter set is transmitted to the user.
The present invention also provides apparatuses directed to preserving and/or communicating live views of a remote physical location over a computer network. The apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a server operably coupled to the computer network to receive requests and an image acquisition system operably coupled to the server. The image acquisition system captures images of selected regions in the remote physical location and transmits the image to the server. The server transmits interface data to the user, including the image of the selected region. According to the invention, the server, in response to a request, generates an image parameter set. In one embodiment, the server transmits the image parameter set to the user. In another embodiment, the server receives a recipient address from the user and transmits the image parameter set to the recipient address.
In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for communicating live views of a remote physical location a computer network. The apparatus comprises a view card database including a list of view card identifications and image parameter sets corresponding to the view card identifications, and a processor coupled to the view card database. The processor is operably coupled to the computer network to receive a view card identification. According to the invention, the processor accesses the view card database to retrieve the image parameter set corresponding to the view card identification. In one embodiment, the apparatus further comprises an image acquisition system located in the remote physical location and operably coupled to the processor.
A remote physical location refers to an actual physical space or location remote from the user. It is remote only in the sense that it is perceived through a user interface displayed on a computer screen or other suitable device. Accordingly, a remote physical location can include within its bounds a user of the system.
Telepresence refers to techniques and systems for acquiring, processing and delivering live, interactively-controlled, digital video and/or still images of a remote physical location over a computer network. Typically, visual telepresence systems involve the use of computer-controlled camera systems which are controlled remotely by users across a computer network. Users aim the camera by adjusting the pan, tilt and zoom to select regions of interest in a remote physical location. Many conventional telepresence systems allow multiple users to share control of a live video source. Typically, telepresence gives every user the feeling of independent control of the image acquisition system, even though other users are concurrently using the system. Real-time refers to an interactive user experience in which the server transmits video or still images within seconds of the user""s request.